As if the Lady Jour Nuit wasn’t impressive enough, Van Cleef & Arpels presents another facet of their horological poetry with the Lady Arpels Brise d’Été. While the Lady Jour Nuit celebrates the rhythm of day and night, the Lady Arpels Brise d’Été captures a single, perfect summer moment.

Let me translate this horological text about the Van Cleef & Arpels timepiece:

The “Summer Breeze” – as it translates to in English – is more than a watch; it is a mechanical poem for the wrist. At Van Cleef & Arpels, the series from which this watch originates is called: Poetic Complications. What particularly fascinates me is how Van Cleef & Arpels blurs the line between Haute Horlogerie and Haute Joaillerie. It reminds me of the philosophy of Independent Watchmakers whom we often visit in their workshops – this absolute dedication to perfection, just interpreted in a completely different way.
What Van Cleef & Arpels has created here is reminiscent of the complex automatons we usually only see from specialists like Vianney Halter or the great names of the AHCI – except that here, the mechanics are put in service of poetry.

The functions of the Brise d’Été is a fascinating interplay of multiple complications. It begins with the activation: At 8 o’clock sits the pusher that brings the mechanical theater to life. A sophisticated automaton function then orchestrates several completely independent movement sequences. Multiple butterflies glide across the dial in different paths – each at its own pace, each on its own carefully calculated route. Simultaneously, delicate flowers and blades of grass move in a precisely calculated but deceptively natural-looking sequence.
The time display itself is a complication of particular refinement. A wandering disc carries two butterflies as a day/night indication – the yellow butterfly for daytime hours, its blue companion for nighttime hours. This seemingly simple display requires the highest precision in its drive, as the movement must be absolutely uniform to indicate time exactly.
The automatic movement with 36 hours of power reserve is a small masterpiece in itself. It must not only ensure precise time display but simultaneously drive the complex automaton mechanism. Each individual movement of the butterflies, every swaying of the grass blades, every nodding of a flower must be perfectly calibrated. The challenge lies not only in mechanical precision but especially in the choreography of movements. They must appear natural yet can never be random.

The craftsmanship of the Brise d’Été showcases the full spectrum of traditional enameling art. Particularly impressive is the use of plique-à-jour enamel on the butterflies. This extraordinarily demanding technique creates translucent surfaces that work like small church windows. Each wing is an artwork in itself, where the enamel is melted into tiny cells without a metal backing, allowing light to shine through.
The flowers are executed in vallonné enamel, a technique that creates relief-like structures. The azure blue nuances are created through varying thicknesses of enamel. The champlevé enamel of the leaves, in turn, uses depressions engraved into the metal that are filled with enamel. This technique allows for precise contours and various shades of green to be depicted with fascinating depth.
The matte mother-of-pearl dial is not simply a background – it’s an essential element of the overall composition. Its subtle structure gives the scene depth and a natural shimmer. The strategically placed tsavorites in the grass blades and spessartite garnets in the flower stamens create precise light accents. They are not to be understood as mere decoration, but as integral components of the artistic vision.

The technical complexity of this watch recalls the works of Vianney Halter and his Deep Space Tourbillon. But while Halter displays the fascinating mechanics of his creations, Van Cleef & Arpels discreetly conceals the technical magic behind a veil of enamel and precious stones in the 38-millimeter white gold case.
Even the case back wasn’t neglected. Fine engravings continue the floral theme and make the watch an artwork from behind as well. It’s these details that show how well thought out the entire concept is.

The Brise d’Été embodies a special form of Haute Horlogerie: technical refinement that puts itself entirely in service of artistic vision. Van Cleef & Arpels proves impressively that the highest watchmaking complexity and poetic design need not be opposites. On the contrary – they enrich each other and create something truly special: a mechanical poem for the wrist.

Also take a look at the “sister” watch here, that also won at the 2024 GPHG, the “Lady jour nuit”.

Or get details at: https://www.vancleefarpels.com/en/collections/watches/poetic-complications.html